Cubs adding Michael Conforto on minor-league deal: Source

MESA, Ariz. — With spring training underway, the Chicago Cubs are making a late addition to their camp, reaching an agreement with veteran outfielder Michael Conforto on a minor-league deal, a team source confirmed to The Athletic on Monday. Conforto, a one-time All-Star, figures to be in the mix of role players competing for a spot on a team with a stable lineup and playoff ambitions.

Accumulating depth is a constant priority for Jed Hoyer’s front office and Craig Counsell’s coaching staff. Conforto, who will turn 33 on Sunday, is a left-handed hitter with extensive experience at all three outfield positions. This move, first reported by the New York Post, gives the Cubs additional insurance against injuries.

Right now, from left to right, the Cubs project to have three primary outfielders in Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki. Matt Shaw, a rookie third baseman last year, is learning how to become a super-utility player.

The Cubs already brought notable outfielders Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick to Arizona on minor-league deals. Kevin Alcántara, an intriguing prospect with limited major-league experience, is on the 40-man roster, but he can be optioned to the minors this season, per MLB.com.

While rookie Moisés Ballesteros is expected to be the club’s main designated hitter, Conforto could also handle some of those responsibilities if his offensive game gets back on track.

Going all the way back to his time at Oregon State, Conforto fit a profile for the Cubs as a high-performing college hitter. The Cubs instead selected Kyle Schwarber with the fourth pick in the 2014 draft while Conforto went to the New York Mets at No. 10. Both players competed in the 2015 National League Championship Series.

Conforto’s promising start with the Mets included several highly productive seasons before injuries stalled his momentum. He declined a qualifying offer after the 2021 season and missed the 2022 season while recovering from shoulder surgery.

Once healthy, Conforto spent two years with the San Francisco Giants (.740 OPS across 255 games) before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers, the reigning World Series champs, in 2025.

The Dodgers gave Conforto 486 plate appearances last season, but he never got into a rhythm, finishing with a .199 batting average and a .637 OPS. On their way to another World Series title, the Dodgers left him off the playoff roster in each of their four postseason rounds.

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